DEATH PENALTY: Gov. Quinn did sign an important piece of legislation Wednesday; he abolished the death penalty in Illinois. The death penalty has been in limbo since 2000 when former Gov. George Ryan imposed a moratorium. He did so because 13 inmates had been released since 1977 because of wrongful convictions. We agree with Mark D. Hassakis, Illinois State Bar Association president, when he says if ?an innocent person is put to death, that would be the grossest miscarriage of justice imaginable.?

When Illinois began serious DNA testing of death row inmates they were shocked by the numbers. The then Governor (Republican) put a moratorium on executions to study the issue. I guess this was the result.

I've long wondered about the fairness of a kid with a court appointed attorney versus a politically ambitious DA. I'd bet it tossed some clunkers into our judicial system.

Our system works because once you are committed, you are guilty. Whether you did it or not, you are guilty, if we examine that, we have to redefine our system entirely, I see the moratorium on the death penalty from a political perspective to be the unwinding of our judicial system.

Dead on Mr. Funetical. A life without freedoms is a terrible punishment but Capital Punishment is simply revenge.
I'm in no way denying the human urge to physically rip out the throat of someone that harmed our loved ones but it's still revenge rather than punishment.

I have been observing this thread... Just out of curiosity Mr.blucher, What do you recommend aside from a lifetime of taxpayer funded room and board or releasing violent criminals back onto the streets?

I have been observing this thread... Just out of curiosity Mr.blucher, What do you recommend aside from a lifetime of taxpayer funded room and board or releasing violent criminals back onto the streets?

Lock a man in a cell and weld the door shut. Feed him the trash found at most food banks and give him a small screen B&W TV. The idea is to punish.

I'm in no way denying the human urge to physically rip out the throat of someone that harmed our loved ones but it's still revenge rather than punishment.
Lock a man in a cell and weld the door shut. Feed him the trash found at most food banks and give him a small screen B&W TV. The idea is to punish.